Farm Hand
by GlammyGlamm
Summary: Katniss is an immigrant from Italy, coming to the united states as house help for widowed Gale Hawthorne and his children. When disaster strikes and Katniss is forced to protect and care for the children on her own she begins to form a wall. A wall that only one man can break down. AU set in late 1800's M for possible lemon in later chapters
1. Chapter 1

**I know that this is super short, but if you guys like it i have a few chapters already written out. Enjoy :)**

I inhale deeply and wipe the sweat from my brow. It's time to harvest wheat and the combination of labor and the hot Kansas sun has everyone sweating profusely. I pick up the pail of water and push the sleeves up on my brown calico dress then continued across the field towards the three men making their way through the roughs of wheat. As I draw nearer one by one they stop their work and walk towards me. The first to reach me is Vick, he just turned 18, and is such a fine young man. He has short brown curly hair and his father's steel grey eyes. I smile warmly at him as he dips the ladle into the water and takes a long drink, then he takes another dip and pours it over his head. The next to reach me is Rory, Vicks younger brother, he's only 15 but works just as hard as his brother. He too has curly brown hair only his is long, but his eyes are a piercing green which I could only assume is a trait he acquired from his mother. He too takes a long drink before pouring the cold water over his head. He smiles mischievously at me before shaking his head vigorously, I laugh as the cold water sprinkles my face and his smile grows wider. The last in line is Gale, the boys' father and my employer, he smiles and thanks me before taking a long drink. He's a good father, and a wonderful employer. Once they have their fill I wave and begin my walk back toward the house.

During my walk I reminisce about my past three years here and how I came to find this place

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	2. Chapter 2

**Hello lovelies! I decided that since that first chapter was reaaaaaally short I would go ahead and update so that you could give a better opinion ;) **

**Also, Keep in mind that this chapter AS WELL AS the next chapter are flashback chapters. I decided to split the flashback up just to make this whole experience last a little longer ;)**

**Enjoy!**

_Flashback_

I clutched my wool coat tighter around me as a shiver shook my spine. It is so unbearably cold. I look at my train ticket. '_Lower class' _is printed across the bottom. I sigh. Being of the lower class means that instead of the heated passenger cars, where travelers were shielded from the elements, I was in a storage car. Exposed to the cold. But it is all my family could afford. They sent me to this strange place for a better life. I looked out of one of the open slats in the train car and instead of the beautiful mountains and cliffs of the Italian shoreline I saw the flat plains of Kansas and had to fight back my tears. I decided to take my mind off of my homesickness by going over my mother's instructions again. Take a boat to the harbor in New York. Take the train to Dwyer, Kansas. Find old family friends Cinna and Portia Benvenuto. Have them take me to my new employer, Gale Hawethorne.

I came from a family of fisherman. We had always thrived in the rich waters off the coast of Italy. But in that past year my father, uncles, and brothers have came back nearly empty handed on almost every fishing trip. So when the Benvenuto's sent word that a respectful man in their community had lost his wife and was looking for someone to help run his household I insisted that I go. I wanted to be able to help my family, so I immediately sent word that I would be there as soon as possible. I was scared, but I would be strong for my loved ones.

The train lurched to a halt, and I suddenly realized that it was nearly dark out, and I had no idea how to find the Benvenuto's. I scrambled to my feet and stumbled off of the train just as the engineer was placing my trunk on the platform. I smiled at the man and nodded a thank you. He tipped his hat and walked back to the front of the train, leaving me alone in a sea of people.

I had done my best to learn some English before coming here, but had only succeded in learning a few phrases such as 'yes' 'no' 'please' and 'thank you'. Simply the basics. So there I was, desperately searching for someone to help me. I walked up to a man and tried my best to convey my question to him, "Please…Where….Benvenuto's?"

He simply scoffed and pushed me aside.

Next I walked up to a couple and once again tried my hardest to make sense of my question. "Please. Please. Were….Benvenuto's?"

They apologized and walked past me.

I sighed in defeat and sat down on my trunk.

I felt the sting of tears welling up in my eyes and for the first time I let them spill over.

I jumped when I heard someone clear their voice behind me. I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes and turned to see a man with dirty blonde hair and a scraggy beard.

"You must be Miss Everdeen." I nodded and offered my hand as I was told was customary here. He stared at it for a moment and reluctantly shook it. He seemed…odd, almost like he'd had no interaction with a human being in quite some time.

I gave a tentative smile, "Katniss."

"My name is Haymich, Haymich Abernathy. The Benvenuto's told me you would be arriving soon. Ill be your transport to them." He made no attempt to smile as he led me to a wooden buggy with two rust colored horses in front of it. I glanced from the buggy, back to him a few times. I hoped he would catch the hint soon. There was no way I could get into the buggy without making a fool of myself, and I had no earthly idea how to ask. He glared at me for a second. "Listen sweetheart, in case you haven't noticed I'm not to good at this whole gentleman thing, so if you could just help yourself, that would be great." I just stared blankly at him. I had no idea what he was saying. After a moment he huffed and walked over to help me. With me safely in the buggy he went to retrieve my trunk. Once he had my trunk secure he hoped up beside me and took hold of the reigns. I smiled shyly at him as he put the buggy into motion. Before no time we pulled up to a large wooden house. I barely get out of the buggy before I was being gripped tightly in a hug. I pulled away to see a woman with hair like a ravens feathers in tight ringlets and eyes that sparkled like the ocean. I assumed this was Portia.

"Cio! Come siete! Oh sei bella!" (Hello! How are you! Oh you are beautiful!) her words were rushed and her smile was genuine. I couldn't help but smile as she led me into the house. Her words comforted me. To know that someone here could speak my native tongue was absolutely indescribable.

Cinna quickly unloaded my trunk and thanked Mr. Abernathy who simply grunted and drove away. The couple introduced me to their daughter, Effie. She was a lovely you lady. Six years old and looked just like her father, sandy hair, green eyes, olive skin. Cinna and Portia wasted no time getting to know me and making sure I got to know them. Later in the night I Portia insisted I get some rest. I assured her I was fine to stay up and talk, but she wouldn't take no for answer. She showed me to my room for the night. She hugged me tightly and wished me a goodnights sleep so that I could be ready for a long day tomorrow.

She shut the door and I sat on the feather bed, my stomach was in knots as I thought about the next day. I wasn't exactly sure what my job would entail, but from the description given to me by Portia I would be somewhat of a live in nanny and maid. The maid portion of my job did not intimidate me the least. It was the nanny portion that made me nervous. I'd never cared for children that weren't family before. Besides I wasn't even sure how many children he had! For all I knew he had 20 little ones running ramped! And what if the children didn't like me? What about the language barrier between us?

I tossed and turned as the questions flitted through my mind until I finally became so exhausted I drifted into a light sleep.

When I awakened the next morning I was surprised to find a washtub in my room with a small bar of soap and a fresh towel on the end of my bed. On top of the towel was a note:

_Pensiero si potrebbe desiderare di lavarsi._

_-Portia_

_(Thought you might want to wash)_

I smiled and shed my night gown and proceeded to run a brush through my deep brown locks before sinking into the tub. I sighed as the warm water relaxed my sore muscles. I quickly washed, paying special attention to my hair, and got out of the tub. I dried myself and dressed in a crisp baby blue dress and navy petticoat. I brushed my hair dry and braided it down the back.

Breakfast was wonderful. Portia taught me to make biscuits and gravy, and it was delicious. But all too soon Cinna told me it was time to be going. I sighed and hugged Portia and Effie before following Cinna to the buggy waiting outside with my trunk already secured into the back. He helped me step up onto the buggy and I sat on the bench waiting for him. He told his family goodbye and we began our way towards the Hawethorne household.

Everything was quiet upon our arrival. When I reached the door I saw a small girl with auburn colored hair. She looked at me with fearful eyes that made my heart break. I smiled at her and said hello. She ran away and came back towing a tall muscled man. He just stood there staring at me. His eyes were cold and his face was made of harsh sharp lines. Cinna brought my trunk to the front door and greeted the man before me. Gale. My employer. My heart sank along with my hopes of having a happy experience

Cinna pulled me to the side and gave me a tight hug and spoke to me in hushed Italian, "You take care of yourself. You always had a fire in your eyes when you were younger, and I still see it there today. Do not let that fire extinguish. Best of luck to you my girl on fire." Cinna apologized to Gale for having to leave so quickly but promised to stop by in a few days to check on how things were going. Once Cinna was gone Gale turned abruptly and gestured for me to follow. We stopped once we reached the small kitchen.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Good day to you sirs and ladies :) I am certainly glad to hear that you like this story so far. **

**Please do remember that this is the second half of the flashback, it also is a shorter chaper. I'm sorry. Please dont shoot me. haha.**

**Enjoy!**

"Children!" his tone shocked me. It was not at all how a father should speak towards his children. More like how a merchant scolded a thief.

I watched as three children entered the room and stood, eyes on the floor, hands behind their backs. No smiles upon their faces. My heart broke even more. Gale began to speak in a forceful tone, but I didn't understand a word. He must have been introducing the children because he pointed to one after the other, saying their names.

The first was a boy, he was the tallest. From what I understood he was 15. His name was Vick.

The second was a boy as well, he was tall, not as tall as his brother, but still quite tall. I think he was 12. His name was Rory.

The third was also a boy, he did not resembled his father a great deal, auburn hair and green eyes I assume he acquired from his mother. I was fairly sure he was 8. His name was Finnick.

The last was the young girl I encountered upon my arrival. Her hair was long wavy and auburn her eyes were large and grey. I think she was 5. Her name was Posy.

Once he had finished introducing the children he nodded and turns to walk out the door.

"Gale?" I asked tentatively.

"Mr. Hawthorne." He corrected sternly.

"Uh-uhmm Mr. Hawthorne…." I struggled for the word I was looking for, oh yes! "….Supper?"

He pointed to a door on the other side of the kitchen and walked out. I walked over and opened the door to find bags and barrels of unfamiliar ingredient. This should be interesting.

The next few months were fairly monotonous. Wake up. Fix breakfast. Make sure the children get to school. Clean the house. Fix supper. That was my routine. I eventually got the children to talk to me some. Vick even began to teach me some English. Mr. Hawthorne was still cold and bitter. But I refused to give up on him. I smiled warmly at him, hoping to thaw his heart a little. It took a while but within a year the whole family was smiling again. Even Mr. Hawthorne, whom I now address as gale.

_End Flashback_

I am quickly jarred from my day dream when I hear a loud high-pitched scream. I see Posy running at top speed for the door of the house. I drop the pail of water I'm carrying, hike up my skirt and run to her side. She is hysterical. I take the little 8 year olds face in my hands and calm her down enough to ask her what's wrong. She points towards the sky and I see a large black cloud moving our way fast. I rush her inside and run back out in time to see a giant grass hopper land at my feet.

No.

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	4. Chapter 4

**I'm increadibly elated to hear that you all like the spawn of my imagination. As for the grasshoppers, hopefully all questions will be answered in this chapter.**

**As for when Peeta comes in, its only a few more chapters. Hang in there ladys and gentlemen.**

**This is the last pre-written chapter...sooo the next update might take a few days. But just remember, reviews make me wright faster ;) **

**Enjoy!**

Im running as fast as my legs will carry me.

As soon as I saw the first grass hopper I knew what was happening.

Once I see Gale I start shouting. He turns to look at me in astonishment, and I run up to him. I don't have the breath to speak, so I point. I point to the giant humming black cloud flying towards us. Gale's eyes widen and he is instantly shouting at the boys to get to the house. Then we are running. I try my best to keep up with them but their legs are longer than mine, and their stride takes them farther. My mind becomes clouded with heat and exhaustion, causing my knees to go weak, but I keep pushing. Then as luck would have it, my foot gets caught in a hole and down I go. I let out a small shout as I hit the ground.

I see Vick turn when he hears my cry. When he sees me he runs to my aid. He helps me to my feet and I feel a sharp stab of pain in my right ankle that makes my knees go weak. Vick simply scoops me up in his arms and continues to run. When we reach the house Finnick is waiting for us with the door cracked slightly, enough for him to see us coming without letting in any grasshoppers. We all quickly scramble inside and shut the door tight. I have Posy run and check that all of the windows are shut while I tend to my ankle.

I inspect it gingerly. I'm lucky, it's only a sprain and can be taken care of simply by wrapping it. After having done so using a piece of leftover calico I begin to prepare dinner. As I am stirring the pot of beans my mind wonders to the chorus of crunching outside and my heart sinks. Grasshoppers were known for their ability to strip crops bare, leaving farmers profitless and forcing them to struggle until the next harvest. I decide to stay optimistic. I tell myself that there will be crops left when the grasshoppers leave. Even if there isn't Gale is a smart man and I know that he won't let his family suffer. I desperately will myself to keep these optimistic thoughts as I set the table and call the children and Gale to eat. One by one the children enter somberly and take their seats at the dinner table. I ask where their father is. No one knows. I quietly tell them to go ahead and eat before walking out of the kitchen.

I search the house over and find Gale nowhere.

Until I reach his bedroom.

He's sitting on the side of his bed with his head in his hands. I've never seen him look so…vulnerable. I take a couple careful steps into the room and after about my third step the floorboard creaks. His head shoots up and I gasp.

"I-I'm sorry Gale. I didn't… I didn't mean to startle you. It…well it's just that supper is ready, and I didn't know where you were….and I… well I got worried….so I went looking for you and when I found you…you j-just l-looked so…s-s-sad and—"

"I'm scared Katniss….for the first time since my Johanna di—" he stops short and takes a ragged breath, "for the first time in three years…I'm truly scared. I'm scared of the uncertainty…..without these crops I don't know how we'll make it through the year… even if there is some crop left, it won't be near enough to support six. I just don't know what to do." He clears his throat and wipes his hand across his face. I walk slowly towards him and sit beside him.

"Gale, you are a smart man. I know that you will figure out something. The Lord has a plan for us all. He will never give us something that we cannot handle, and in the end we will come out a stronger individual." I put my hand on his back and smile, he looks at me and I can still see some sparkle in his eyes. It's that moment that I know it will work out.

The next day the whole family wakes early to help salvage what we can of the wheat. Abigail rides with me on the small wagon and makes sure that everyone gets plenty of water while the men throw bits and pieces of wheat stalks into the wagon, and Finnick searches for leftover grasshoppers to mutilate. It's a long hot day with frustrating results. We are only able to salvage enough wheat to earn the profit to last about a month.

**Terrible isnt it? Dont worry! All will turn out right in the end! Or will it? ;)**

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